Eastern Roman Glass Jug - Great Iridescence

Roman, Eastern Empire, Holy Land, early Imperial Period, ca. 1st to early 2nd century CE. An outstanding example of a utilitarian jug, free-blown from translucent glass of a soft blue-green hue. The vessel presents with a protruding foot surrounding a smooth pontil scar, a lightly compressed, apple-shaped body with a sloped shoulder, a tapered cylindrical neck topped with a flared rim bearing an in-folded lip, and an applied trail handle with a pinched thumb rest on top. Vessels of this size were used for storing table oils or garum (fermented fish sauce) in the dining room as well as containing thicker perfumed oils that would not evaporate as quickly. Brilliant layers of silvery and rainbow-hued iridescence envelop the entire composition and gracefully complement the vessel's turquoise color. Size: 3.875" W x 5.6" H (9.8 cm x 14.2 cm)

For a stylistically similar example of a soft yellow-brown hue, please see The Metropolitan Museum of Art, accession number 74.51.133.

Provenance: private Florida, USA collection; ex-private B. Rhodes collection, Florida, USA, purchased from the Archaeological Center, Tel Aviv, Israel (April 8, 1993, lot 126)

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#151614 Dimensions: Condition Report: Minor abrasions and encrustations to foot, body, handle, neck, and rim, with light weathering film, minor pitting, and flaking to some areas of iridescence, otherwise intact and excellent. Pontil mark on underside of base. A pontil scar or mark indicates that a vessel was free-blown, while the absence of such a mark suggests that the work was either mold-blown or that the mark was intentionally smoothed away or wore away over time. Nice earthen deposits as well as fabulous silver and rainbow iridescence throughout.